NHLhttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/taxonomy/term/29/all
enTwin Peakshttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2017-11/twin-peaks
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Krygier Brothers Out To Make A Name For Themselves As They Follow In Their Dad’s NHL Footsteps </div>
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/node/33">Jim Leitner </a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-center"><img src="http://ushockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/KrygierBros1.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="374" /></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Todd and Kim Krygier outlined a few simple requests of their five children when they signed them up for athletic teams in Novi, Mich.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Work hard. Compete. Strive to be better people than athletes.</p>
<p>The formula led to NCAA Division I opportunities for all five Krygier children. And the youngest of the bunch, 17-year-old twins Christian and Cole, have created enough buzz in the hockey world to potentially follow in the footsteps of their father in the National Hockey League.</p>
<p>Christian and Cole Krygier, second-year defensemen for the Lincoln Stars of the USHL, represented their country in August at the prestigious Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup and recently earned invitations to play in the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game in Buffalo. Both events serve as key early-season evaluations for the 2018 NHL Draft.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-center"><img src="http://ushockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/KrygierBros2.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="144" /></span></p>
<p>"We don't live our lives through our kids," said Todd Krygier, who scored 100 goals in a career that spanned 543 NHL games with Hartford, Washington and Anaheim.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"We support them and enjoy them and we're proud of all of them for what they've done in sports and academics, but it's up to them to accomplish what they're going to do. We never put a huge emphasis on them playing Division I. It just kind of happened because their sports have been their passions."</p>
<p>Brock Krygier played three seasons of hockey at Michigan State and a fourth at Arizona State while pursuing a post-graduate degree. Natalie Krygier played one season of soccer at the University of Connecticut and three at the University of Iowa, and Grace recently began her freshman season of soccer at the University of Wisconsin, where the twins will play&nbsp; following their stints in the USHL.</p>
<p>"It's a little crazy when the whole family is together, because we're all so competitive and we're always kind of battling, so it can get a little heated," said Christian, who was a member of the U.S. squad that won the gold medal at the 2016 Youth Olympic Games. "There's never a dull moment in our house. It's just kind of how our family is made up.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-center"><img src="http://ushockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/KrygierBros3.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="365" /></span></p>
<p>"With both hockey and soccer, you have to put in a lot of time and effort away from the rink or the field. When we were little, there was never a time when my sisters weren't helping us with hockey or we weren't helping them with soccer. Through everything and how competitive we were, we always supported one another."</p>
<p>Dad also brings the perspective of a coach to the athletic dynamic in his household. Following a successful run as the hockey coach at Novi High School, he spent three seasons as head coach of the USHL's Muskegon Lumberjacks and recently began his second year as an assistant coach at Western Michigan University.</p>
<p>"It helps a lot to have a guy to go to, let alone your dad, who has gone through it and knows what it's like," said Cole, who played in 37 games with the Stars last season. "Any advice he gives, we'll take it and use it to the best of our abilities because obviously he understands from a playing standpoint and a coaching standpoint.</p>
<p>"He just wants us to go out and play and not focus so much on who's watching or what's happening. Just go out, play and have fun. If you're not having fun, it's probably not going to end up too well for you."</p>
<p>That mindset should serve them well heading into their draft year.</p>
<p>"Obviously, this is a big year for us and it's hard not to think about it, but if you stay focused, keep things simple and go on with your everyday life, it will make it a little easier to have a better year," Cole said.</p>
<p>The Krygier twins understand that having a father who played in the NHL comes with no guarantees for their own playing careers. It might open a door here or there, but they still have to perform on the ice to advance their careers.</p>
<p>Chris Hartsburg, who coached the twins in Lincoln last season before moving on to Erie of the Ontario Hockey League, can relate to their situation. His father, Craig, enjoyed successful playing and coaching careers in the NHL.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"Todd played at the highest level for a long time, and he's taught his sons how a locker room runs and that they're not going to be given ice time or responsibility. They know they have to earn it," Hartsburg said. "Todd's let them kind of wade their way through this and create their own path, which is great. He's always there to help them. But, as a kid who had a father who played in the NHL, I know you don't want your dad to constantly tell you what to do.</p>
<p>"I loved their confidence. Even as 16-year-olds in the USHL, they were confident enough to try different things instead of always making the same play. And they made a lot of progress throughout the year because of it."</p>
<p>That progress continued this summer with the Hlinka Tournament in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Americans finished fifth in the eight-team tournament that attracted scouts from all 31 NHL teams.</p>
<p>"It's a huge tournament to kick-start the year, and it was an unbelievable experience to see how you stack up against the top-end guys from around the world," Christian said.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"Obviously, we didn't get the result we wanted, but I think a lot of guys proved themselves to the people sitting in the stands."</p>
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Issue:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/issue/2017-11">2017-11</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2017-11/twin-peaks#commentsKrygier brothersNHLFeatureThu, 26 Oct 2017 19:39:59 +0000admin14743 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comEmotional Knighthttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2017-11/emotional-knight
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In The Wake Of Tragedy, Hockey Helps Lift The Spirits Of The Las Vegas Community </div>
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/node/12">Harry Thompson</a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-center"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Vegas1.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="494" /></span></p>
<p>The sign inside the Vegas Golden Knights' practice facility is a friendly reminder that the lessons learned on the field of play can serve us well in other walks of life. Sometimes these lessons can inspire, motivate or push us to even greater heights.&nbsp;</p>
<p>And sometimes, these contests waged on "friendly fields" can comfort a community that is still trying to come to grips with a senseless act of violence like the one that shook the city of Las Vegas to its core on Oct. 1.</p>
<p>Nine days after 58 of their own were gunned down during an outdoor country concert on the Las Vegas Strip, the hockey community came together to show the world what Vegas Strong is all about.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>In a solemn ceremony that was part tribute to the "real heroes of Las Vegas" and part group hug, the Golden Knights kicked off the first home game of their inaugural season with the hope of continuing the healing process following the worst mass shooting in American history.</p>
<p>"This game was a lot more than just a game for us. It was a game for our city and it was something to get the people to get excited about and rally behind," said Golden Knights' defenseman Nate Schmidt.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"Sometimes you just need something, whether it's sports or whatever it may be. It was really big for us and a big step for us collectively to get ourselves back out there."</p>
<p>It was not the opening night ceremony that Bill Foley envisioned when the Black Knights Group was awarded the league's 31st franchise on June 22, 2016. But it was an appropriate and heartfelt response that resonated throughout the sold out T-Mobile Arena and around the country on the NBC broadcast, from the introduction of first responders to a rendition of the National Anthem that had the 18,191 teary-eyed fans singing in unison.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-center"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Vegas2.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="494" /></span></p>
<p>"I think we really did the right thing and did it properly by bringing out those first responders. It was a powerful moment," Foley said.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"It's a process here. It's a tough deal that happened here nine days ago, but we're trying to do our part and our players are trying to do their part."</p>
<p>The events of the week made an already monumental event take on a much broader meaning. And if that wasn't enough, the Golden Knights opened their inaugural campaign by playing some inspired hockey.</p>
<p>Still, expansion teams don't start their inaugural season 3-0, especially with a pair of road wins to kick things off. Only time will tell if the Golden Knights are for real or if reality will bring them back to earth. The smart money is on the latter. But for now the team and their fans are happy to be playing with house money.</p>
<p>"It was one of the best moments of my hockey career being a part of those two road wins," said 10-year veteran James Neal, one of the biggest names selected in June's expansion draft.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-center"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Vegas3.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="494" /></span></p>
<p>"The amount of emails and text messages I've received from my friends, family, the fans, people that I haven't heard from in a long time, it's been really amazing the way people have been reaching out. I don't think anyone really expected us to start the year 3-0 so it's been fun so far."</p>
<p>Coming into the game, head coach Gerard Gallant wondered if the events of the evening would have his players pumped up or emotionally spent before the puck even dropped. It didn't take him long to find out as the Golden Knights e xploded for four first-period goals in an offensive eruption not felt around this city since the nightly volcano show outside the Mirage hotel and casino.</p>
<p>In a moment that seemed even too far fetched for a Vegas casino show, hometown hero Deryk Engelland padded the lead less than two minutes later. Moments earlier, the holdover from the ECHL's now defunct Vegas Wranglers spoke for his team-mates in an emotional address.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"Like all of you, I'm proud to call Las Vegas home. I met my wife here. My kids were born here, and I know how special the city is," said the Edmonton, Alberta, native who has spent the past 14 offseasons in Las Vegas.</p>
<p>"To all the brave first responders who have worked tirelessly and courageously through this whole tragedy, we thank you. To the families and friends of the victims, know that we will do everything we can to help you and our city heal. We are Vegas Strong."</p>
<p>No one here thinks that one hockey game is going to take away the pain of a community ravaged by an unspeakable tragedy, but for one night it did provide a welcomed reprieve for a city in desperate need of a little joy.</p>
<p>"I think the team is feeding off the city," Foley said, "and the city is feeding off the team."&nbsp;</p>
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<h2><span class="inline inline-center"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/UppingTheAnte1.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="525" /></span>\</h2>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>As the patriarch of the first family of Las Vegas hockey, Scott Zucker knew there was no way to escape the inevitable. He would need to ante in and become a Vegas Golden Knights season ticket holder, even if that meant risking the chance to see his son Jason's games with the Minnesota Wild. Thank goodness for TiVo.</p>
<p>The father of the only Las Vegas resident to play in the NHL joined 14,000 hockey faithful who put down season-ticket deposits even before the Golden Knights were named the league's 31st franchise.</p>
<p>As he and his son, Evan, joined the more than 18,000 other fans to usher in a new era of hockey in Las Vegas, he knew what it meant for the growth of the game around the state.</p>
<p>Zucker has been involved in hockey in Las Vegas in "some form or fashion" for the past 25 years, ever since he took Evan to his first game at a rink inside the Orleans Hotel &amp; Casino. Since then all five of his children have played hockey, including Jason, who is in his seventh season with the Wild.</p>
<p>And in his new capacity as the president of Nevada Amateur Youth Hockey, Zucker is excited about teaming up with the Golden Knights to open the door for other kids to have the same experience his children have had.</p>
<p>Based on USA Hockey registration numbers, the game has nowhere to go but up. According to last season's numbers, there are a total of 1,382 registered players in the state, with almost two thirds of them being adult players.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So far, the impact of the Golden Knights has already been felt with more youngsters signing up for the U.S. Figure Skating's Learn To Skate program along with several Learn to Play programs.</p>
<p>As Kim Frank, the team's vice president of marketing said, "We started with nothing so we've had to build from the ground, up."&nbsp;</p>
<p>To lay that foundation, the team hosted three Sticks for Kids clinics across the Las Vegas Valley, where they've had more than 3,000 register to receive a free stick and street hockey ball and learn the fundamentals of the game from local instructors.&nbsp;</p>
<p>New players mean new fans, which is something the Golden Knights need if hockey is going to take root in the community.</p>
<p>"To introduce the sport to such a brand-new market, and hopefully get them falling in love with the game is what it's all about," Sean Whyte, the NHL's youth hockey regional director, told NHL.com.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Having the NHL muscle behind recruitment efforts is going to be a huge boon for the growth of the game, Zucker said.</p>
<p>"In years past, there was always interest but there was nothing fueling it. You had some passionate moms and dads and coaches but they would barely get enough kids to form a team," he said.</p>
<p>"Now that the NHL is here, we're seeing a huge difference and next year and the year after that we'll see it grow even more."</p>
<p>But all the street hockey sticks in the world can't bridge the gap without the ice to help the game take root. Borrowing from the old sports adage, if you build it they will come, perhaps no sport is more closely tied to the construction of new facilities as hockey. The construction of the City National Arena, a $30 million two-sheet facility that also hosts the team's offices in suburban Summerlin is already paying dividends. And according to Zucker, plans are already in the works to build another rink on the east side of the city.</p>
<p>"Over the years, we've seen ice rinks pop up around town and then go away," he said. "Having some consistency is going to be huge. This rink [City National Arena] is backed by the National Hockey League and Bill Foley so it's not going anywhere. They're in it for the long haul and having that name behind it, it's going to grow now. There's no doubt about it."</p>
<p>The next step is to get the players out into the community to fuel the passion. Over the years, Jason Zucker has been more than generous with his time, hosting clinics and talking to kids about what it takes to play the game at a high level. And now he has help.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Even though he was leaving the perennial Eastern Division powerhouses, the Washington Capitals, Nate Schmidt relishes the opportunity to help grow the game in one of the last great relatively untapped hockey markets.</p>
<p>"It's something that you saw in D.C., with [Alex Ovechkin] and how he helped that city become a hockey town," the St. Cloud, Minn., native said. "The more young kids we can get around hockey and show them how much fun the sport is, the better.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"That's what you have to do, build from the bottom up. You really have to lay the foundation not only in Vegas but all around the state of Nevada."&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-center"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Vegas4.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="277" /></span></p>
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<p>Las Vegas hosts more than 40 million visitors every year. Some come to gamble, see a show or sink their teeth into an all-you-can-eat buffet. Now there's another reason to come to Sin City - NHL hockey.</p>
<p>Over the years, Las Vegas has played host to a number of hockey events, from USA Hockey's annual InLine Cup to Can-Am hockey's annual youth and adult tournaments.</p>
<p>Now fans of the NHL can make a pilgrimage to Las Vegas to see their favorite teams in action. Here are a few other things to do while you're taking a break from the slot machines.</p>
<p>As if hockey fans needed another excuse to come to Las Vegas, the Vegas Golden Knights are giving hockey fans from all over the continent an excuse to make an extra trip to Las Vegas to see their favorite team playing on the road. For single-game ticket information go to <strong>nhl.com/goldenknights/tickets/single-game</strong></p>
<p>For the 15th consecutive year, USA Hockey returns to Sin City to host the Las Vegas Adult Classic, May 3-6 at the Fiesta Rancho Arena. Part of the Labatt Blue Adult Classic series, this recreational, non-check tournament is open to both men and women 21 years of age and older. For more information go to <strong>USAHockey.com/adult</strong></p>
<p>The inaugural Ice Vegas Invitational will take place Jan. 5-6, 2018, at T-Mobile Arena. The four-team tournament will feature Arizona State, Boston College, Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan.</p>
<p>Whether you're a youth team or an adult hockey player looking to get your hockey fix in Las Vegas, Can/Am Hockey has your covered. With three adult tournaments and two youth events on the calendar for the 2017-18 season, you can find the one that is right for your schedule. Go to <strong>Can/Amhockey.com</strong></p>
<p>Visit the USA Hockey Store at the Fashion Show Mall, located next door to the Treasure Island hotel on the Located on the famed Las Vegas Strip.</p>
<p>There's no shortage of sports bars, restaurants and hotels in and around Las Vegas. Here are a few that are located a short walk from T-Mobile Arena</p>
<h3><strong>Where To Stay</strong></h3>
<p>1. La Quinta Inn &amp; Suites Las Vegas Tropicana</p>
<p>4975 S Valley View Blvd,&nbsp;Las Vegas, NV 89118-1708</p>
<p>https:lq.com/en/findandbook/hoteldetails.6685.html?IATA=99020739&amp;CID=TA_BL_weblink</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>2. Monte Carlo Hotel And Casino</p>
<p>3770 Las Vegas Blvd S, Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, NV 89109</p>
<p><a href="https://www.montecarlo.com/en/hotel/hotel32.html">https://www.montecarlo.com/en/hotel/hotel32.html</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>3. MGM Grand Hotel and Casino</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South,&nbsp;Las Vegas, NV 89109-4319</span></p>
<p>Website: <a href="https://www.mgmgrand.com/en.html">https://www.mgmgrand.com/en.html</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>4. New York - New York Hotel and Casino</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">3790 Las Vegas Boulevard South,&nbsp;Las Vegas, NV 89109-4338</span></p>
<p><a href="https://www.newyorknewyork.com/en.html">https://www.newyorknewyork.com/en.html</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Where To Eat &amp; Drink</h3>
<p>1. Lagasse's Stadium at The Palazzo</p>
<p>3325 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109</p>
<p><a href="http://emerilsrestaurants.com/lagasses-stadium">http://emerilsrestaurants.com/lagasses-stadium</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>2. Time-Out Sports Bar &amp; Grill</p>
<p>6138 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89107</p>
<p><a href="http://www.timeoutbarlv.com">http://www.timeoutbarlv.com</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>3. Twin Peaks Las Vegas</p>
<p>3717 S Las Vegas Blvd #285, Las Vegas, NV 89109</p>
<p><a href="http://www.twinpeaksrestaurant.com/locations/las-vegas-nv/">http://www.twinpeaksrestaurant.com/locations/las-vegas-nv/</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>4. Sporting Life Bar</p>
<p>7770 S Jones Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89139</p>
<p><a href="http://sportinglifebar.com">http://sportinglifebar.com</a></p>
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<a href="/issue/2017-11">2017-11</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2017-11/emotional-knight#commentsKnightsLas VegasNHLFeatureThu, 26 Oct 2017 19:30:26 +0000admin14739 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comNHL Preview: Must See TVhttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2016-10/nhl-preview-must-see-tv
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We’ve circled these can’t-miss games on our calendar for the 2016-17 season </div>
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<a href="/author/dave-nettleman"> Dave Nettleman</a> </div>
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<h2><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Joe-Pavelski_0.gif" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="374" /></span><br /></h2>
<h3>Oct. 20, 2016<strong>: San Jose Sharks at Pittsburgh Penguins</strong></h3>
<p>Captain Joe Pavelski and the Sharks look to get a small measure of revenge when they face off against Sidney Crosby and the Pens in a Stanley Cup Finals rematch.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/GettyImages-539768304.gif" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="540" /></span></p>
<h3>Oct. 13, 2016: Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins</h3>
<p>It&rsquo;s bad enough the Capitals saw their dream season end at the hands of the reigning Stanley Cup champions, now they have to watch the Penguins hoist the championship banner to the rafters at the CONSOL Energy Center.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/nbAustonM-1090.gif" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="508" /></span></p>
<h3><strong>Oct. 22, 2016: Toronto Maple Leafs at Chicago Blackhawks <br /></strong></h3>
<p>The present meets the future as reigning league MVP Patrick Kane and the Blackhawks host No. 1 overall pick Auston Matthews in the Windy City.<strong></strong></p>
<h3></h3>
<h3><strong>Dec. 23, 2016: Toronto Maple Leafs at Phoenix Coyotes</strong></h3>
<p>Arizona hockey fans will get an early Christmas present as local hero Auston Matthews returns to his roots when the Maple Leafs make their only appearance in the desert this season.<strong></strong></p>
<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Winter-Classic-2.gif" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="394" /></span></p>
<h3><strong>Jan. 2, 2017: Chicago Blackhawks at St. Louis Blues</strong><br /></h3>
<p>Central Division foes do battle under the Gateway Arch in what has become the NHL&rsquo;s marquee event.<strong></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3><strong>Feb. 25, 2017: Philadelphia Flyers&nbsp;at Pittsburgh Penguins<br /></strong></h3>
<p>These Keystone State rivals take it outside when Heinz Field hosts the 2017 NHL Stadium Series.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>April 9, 2017: New Jersey Devils at Detroit Red Wings<br /></h3>
<p>Say it ain&rsquo;t so, Joe. After nearly four decades of calling Joe Louis Arena home, the Red Wings play their final regular season game in the old barn.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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<h2>Rookie Watch</h2>
<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/nbAustonM-1090.gif" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="508" /></span></p>
<p><strong>Auston Matthews</strong></p>
<p>All eyes will be on Auston Matthews as he begins his quest to help bring one of the NHL&rsquo;s most storied franchises back to prominence.</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s been 50 years since Toronto hosted a Stanley Cup celebration and the Maple Leafs and fans are desperate to see Matthews raise them from the depths of despair.</p>
<p>Matthews spent last season in Switzerland, where he racked up 46 points in 36 games with the ZSC Lions. He followed that up with a stellar performance at the 2016 IIHF World Championship.</p>
<p>The Scottsdale, Ariz., native isn&rsquo;t the only American rookie looking to make an impact this season.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Matthew-Tkachuk.gif" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="517" /></span></p>
<p><strong>Matthew Tkachuk</strong></p>
<p>The Calgary Flames are hoping that sixth overall pick Matthew Tkachuk can follow in the footsteps of his Hall of Fame father, Keith. As a member of the National Team Development Program, Tkachuk had 130 points in two seasons. He was also a dominant force at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Kyle-Connor.gif" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="349" /></span></p>
<p><strong>Kyle O'connor</strong></p>
<p>After lighting up the college ranks as a freshman at the University of Michigan, Jets fans are hoping Kyle Connor brings his scoring touch with him to Winnipeg. USA Hockey&rsquo;s College Player of the Year racked up 71 points in just 38 games with the Wolverines. He joins second overall pick Patrik Laine on what promises to be a young and dynamic Jets roster.</p>
<p>In total, a record 12 Americans were snatched up in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. With all of that new blood entering the ranks this season, the race for the Calder Trophy will likely go down to the wire.<strong></strong></p>
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Issue:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/issue/2016-10">2016-10</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2016-10/nhl-preview-must-see-tv#commentsNHLFeatureFri, 30 Sep 2016 21:37:33 +0000admin13521 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comNHL Preview: Here Comes Hockeyhttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2016-10/nhl-preview-here-comes-hockey
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Get Ready To Drop The Puck For Another Great NHL Season </div>
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/author/sian-wilkerson">Sian Wilkerson</a> </div>
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<p><strong><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/Screen_Shot_2016-09-30_at_2.55.16_PM.png" alt="Super sophomore Jack Eichel looks to lead the resurgent Buffalo Sabres into the playoffs for the first time since 2011." title="Super sophomore Jack Eichel looks to lead the resurgent Buffalo Sabres into the playoffs for the first time since 2011." class="image image-_original " width="525" height="397" /><span class="caption" style="width: 523px;">Super sophomore Jack Eichel looks to lead the resurgent Buffalo Sabres into the playoffs for the first time since 2011.</span></span></strong></p>
<p>Any hockey fan worth his or her salt knows the significance of the number 99. But for those who don&rsquo;t, it was the number proudly worn by the Great One, Wayne Gretzky.</p>
<p>As the National Hockey League is one season shy of its centennial celebration, this 99 promises to be a Great One for anyone who loves the game.</p>
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<h2>Ready, Set, Go</h2>
<p><strong>Here are five storylines to keep an eye on this season.</strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/Patrick-Kane-1.gif" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="588" /></span><br /></strong></p>
<p><strong>1.</strong> After a historic MVP season, Patrick Kane will be looking to defend his scoring title and lead the Blackhawks back to the Stanley Cup. The 27-year-old superstar is not ready to rest on his laurels as he spent the offseason in Chicago looking to get even better. That&rsquo;s a scary thought for opposing goaltenders.</p>
<p><strong>2.</strong> The NHL continues to set the pace when it comes to embracing technology by live streaming weekly out-of-market games for free on Twitter.</p>
<p><strong>3.</strong> After a disappointing start, the Pittsburgh Penguins tabbed Mike Sullivan to turn the season around. Six months later, the Marshfield, Mass., native became only the sixth American coach to lead his team to the Stanley Cup. Fans in the Steel City can&rsquo;t wait to see what he does over the course of a full season.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-middle"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/Auston-Matthews.gif" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="495" /></span></p>
<p><strong>4.&nbsp;</strong> For the first time in 22 years, no Canadian team punched their ticket to the postseason. With a bevy of offseason trades (P.K. Subban for Shea Webber) and top draft picks (Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk), teams north of the border are looking to ensure that last year&rsquo;s resounding slump won&rsquo;t become a trend.</p>
<p><strong>5.</strong> Even though the puck won&rsquo;t drop in Las Vegas until 2017, the NHL&rsquo;s newest franchise will be paying close attention to what happens on the ice this season as it prepares for the upcoming expansion draft.</p>
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<a href="/issue/2016-10">2016-10</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2016-10/nhl-preview-here-comes-hockey#comments2016 PreviewAuston MatthewsNHLPatrick KaneFeatureFri, 30 Sep 2016 20:03:58 +0000admin13506 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comConcussions Package: Heads Up Playhttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2015-12/concussions-package-heads-play
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After A Career Full Of Concussions, NHL Star Rethinks Approach To The Game </div>
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/node/33">Jim Leitner </a> </div>
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<p><strong><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Feat_Concussions2.jpg" alt="As tough as he was talented, Jeremy Roenick took pride in being able to survive and succeed in the daily grind of the NHL" title="As tough as he was talented, Jeremy Roenick took pride in being able to survive and succeed in the daily grind of the NHL" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="369" /><span class="caption" style="width: 523px;">As tough as he was talented, Jeremy Roenick took pride in being able to survive and succeed in the daily grind of the NHL</span></span></strong></p>
<p>Jeremy Roenick played through the pain of broken bones, pulled muscles and aching joints throughout the course of his 20-year NHL career.</p>
<p>So, he never even considered sitting out while dealing with the symptoms from any of the 13 concussions he suffered during a 1,363-game career. That toughness defined him every bit as much as the 513 goals, 1,216 points and 1,463 penalty minutes he accumulated with five teams while playing his way into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The pain never really bothered me, because pain always goes away,&rdquo; says Roenick, who retired from the San Jose Sharks in 2009 and now works as a color analyst for NBC Sports&rsquo; coverage of the NHL. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s what people are going to think of you after it that doesn&rsquo;t go away so easy. People will remember. I always say pain is temporary and pride is forever.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t care what would happen to me afterwards. It was more about the team. That&rsquo;s what I was going to do to help the team win. Those were the things that were more important to me than the well-being of my body.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Roenick tells the story of being knocked out cold for 15 minutes after taking an elbow to the head from Minnesota&rsquo;s Jim Johnson early in his career while with the Chicago Blackhawks. He remembers nothing of those 15 minutes, but takes pride in the fact that he returned the very next night and registered a hat trick.</p>
<p>Under the guidelines of today&rsquo;s concussion protocol, Roenick knows he would not have been allowed to play that second night or even step on the ice for at least one week. For the benefit of his own safety and the team. And he knows that is a good thing.</p>
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<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="inline inline-middle"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Feat_Concussions2_quote.img_assist_custom-470x115.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-img_assist_custom-470x115 " width="470" height="114" /></span></p>
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<p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s where the NHL has really done a good job of taking the responsibility out of the player&rsquo;s hands. They make sure you do not make that decision, they do,&rdquo; he says of the league&rsquo;s concussion protocol.</p>
<p>Roenick feels good at age 45, but occasionally feels the aftereffects of the concussions he suffered during his career. He says his memory isn&rsquo;t quite as sharp and he sometimes struggles to find the right words.</p>
<p>In 2014, he teamed with former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon to spread awareness on the impact of concussions and to change perceptions of the injury.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s important because I think a lot of players will feel like they&rsquo;re letting their teammates down if they don&rsquo;t try to battle through certain things and certain elements,&rdquo; Roenick says. &ldquo;But the knowledge and education about concussions has come along so well that every kid now is really wary of them and cognizant of what&rsquo;s going on.</p>
<p>&ldquo;If it has anything that has to do with the head, no one&rsquo;s going to give you any grief. If you have a sprained ankle or your back is a little sore or something like that, they might rib you a little if you don&rsquo;t play. Guys know that it if has anything to do with the brain or the head, you don&rsquo;t criticize any of them. It&rsquo;s a lot different than toughness, no question about it.&rdquo;</p>
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<a href="/issue/2015-12">2015-12</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2015-12/concussions-package-heads-play#commentsConcussion PreventionNHLFeatureWed, 02 Dec 2015 19:52:29 +0000admin12321 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comA Few Minutes With Patrick Kanehttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-patrick-kane
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/author/mark-j-burns">Mark J. Burns</a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/a-few-minutes-q-and-a.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="136" /></span><em><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">Editor&rsquo;s Note:</strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> Throughout the 2014-15 NHL season, </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">USA Hockey Magazine</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> will periodically highlight American-born players through various Q&amp;A segments. In our most recent discussion we talk Chicago Blackhawks superstar forward Patrick Kane.</span></em></p>
<p><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/Kane1_0.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-preview " width="525" height="349" /></span></p>
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<p class="p1"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em; text-align: center;">Since bursting onto the NHL scene Patrick Kane has lived up to the hype of being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. He earned the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league&rsquo;s rookie of the year in 2008 and scored the overtime winner in 2010 to lift the Blackhawks to the organization&rsquo;s first Stanley Cup in 49 years. In 2013 he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP as he helped bring the Cup back to Chicago for the second time in three years. This season Kane was leading the league in scoring before suffering a broken left clavicle in a game against Florida on Feb. 24. The Blackhawks are hoping the talented 26-year-old can return in time for another run at the Cup.</span></p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Besides hockey, what other sports (if any) did you participate in when you were in grade school/middle school?</strong></p>
<p class="p1">I played basketball, lacrosse, soccer, baseball for a little bit, but my big sport beside hockey was probably basketball.</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>As a 14-year-old, you played for Honeybaked, a AAA program based in Southeastern Michigan. You moved in with former NHL player, Pat Verbeek, for a couple seasons. What was that experience like living with an NHLer? Are there any hockey/life lessons Pat passed along to you during that time period?</strong></p>
<p class="p1">That was awesome. It was one of the main reasons I went to Detroit, knowing I was going to live with a former NHL player who scored 500 goals. He is small in stature like I was at that time, so I felt I could learn a lot from him. One thing I learned from him is that he was fearless. He was one of those guys who really wanted to make sure I was doing my best every shift.</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>What is your most vivid memory as a youngster playing hockey? Maybe a memorable goal? A tournament you won?</strong></p>
<p class="p1">I made some good friends over the years playing. One of my best friends still to this day is a goalie I played with growing up since I was 7 years old, his name is Brett Bennett. I just remember if I look back on my childhood when we played, we had a lot of good tournaments together. It seemed like one of us always won the MVP. If we won a championship, one of us would lead us to that championship. It was always fun playing with him. It turned into a great friendship and he&rsquo;s still one of my best friends today.</p>
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<h2 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;">ICE CHIPS<br /></h2>
<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/467791434.img_assist_custom-280x359.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-img_assist_custom-280x359 " width="280" height="359" /></span><br /></h5>
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<address><span style="font-style: normal;"><strong style="font-style: normal;">Favorite Music:</strong><span style="font-style: normal;">&nbsp;Hip-hop&nbsp;</span><br /><strong style="font-style: normal;">Favorite Movie:&nbsp;</strong>Batman Returns<br /><strong style="font-style: normal;">Favorite TV Show:</strong><span style="font-style: normal;">&nbsp;</span>Sopranos</span></address>
<address><strong style="font-style: normal;">Favorite Snack:</strong><span style="font-style: normal;">&nbsp;Oatmeal</span><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /><strong>Favorite Place To Visit:</strong>&nbsp;Riviera Maya, Mexico<br /><strong>Offseason Hobby:</strong>&nbsp;Golf<br /><strong>If I Wasn't Playing Hockey:&nbsp;</strong>I'd be a car dealer</span></address>
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<p class="p1"><strong>You played for the U.S. National Team Development Program for two seasons (2004-06). How do you think your game developed in those two years before you headed to play Junior hockey?</strong></p>
<p class="p1">It was huge. I&rsquo;m so happy I got the opportunity to go there. The program really focuses on improving your body, you get a lot of practice time and you really learn how to play the game and how to treat yourself, too. I was a really skinny kid going in at 15 years old. To stay there for two years and work out four or five days a week and practice a lot and play a lot of games, it was great for me.</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Which one or two players did you look up to in the NHL when you were a young kid? Anyone in particular you tried to model your game after?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">Growing up in Buffalo, I was definitely a big Pat Lafontaine fan. Joe Sakic was definitely one of my favorite players. I liked watching the Avalanche, so he and Peter Forsberg were some of the players I really watched. I watched Forsberg a little bit more because his style was similar to mine, maybe with a little more physical attitude. He was so skilled and made so many great plays and passes that I really loved watching him.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>How much have small area games been incorporated into your practices at both the Junior and professional level? What types of skills have you taken away from those situations?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">It&rsquo;s very important to learn how to play in tight areas. We still do drills to this day that are tight area games where it&rsquo;s 2-on-2, 3-on-3 down low, maybe 1-on-1 in the corners. They teach you how to battle and how to maneuver in tight space.</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>You played in the 2010 Olympics (Vancouver) and 2014 Olympics (Sochi, Russia) for the U.S. Men&rsquo;s Olympic Team. How would you describe those experiences and the opportunity to wear the red, white and blue? How did those Olympic Games differ for you as a player?</strong></p>
<p class="p1">It&rsquo;s amazing. I wish we could do it every year. It&rsquo;s unbelievable to play in the Olympics. I&rsquo;m really looking forward to a chance to play in the next one. Any time you&rsquo;re representing your country at the Olympics, you know how big it is. You&rsquo;ve got 300 million people at your back, rooting and cheering for you. It&rsquo;s not just Chicago vs. Detroit, or Chicago vs. St. Louis, where it&rsquo;s just two cities. Instead, all of the cities in the United States are rooting for you, so it&rsquo;s amazing.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>What advice can you give a young 10-year-old kid playing youth hockey who aspires to play junior, college or even professional hockey?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Stay in the moment. Don&rsquo;t worry about what&rsquo;s going to happen in the future. You&rsquo;ve got a lot of time for that, so just have fun, work hard and see where it goes.</p>
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<p><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/A-few-minutes-q-and-a-slider_0.thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-thumbnail " width="100" height="60" /></span></p>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-patrick-kane#comments2010 U.S. Olympic Team2014 US Olympic TeamChicago BlackhawksNational Team Development ProgramNHLPatrick KaneOnline Bonus ContentMon, 13 Apr 2015 15:31:18 +0000admin11399 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comA Few Minutes With Matt Hendrickshttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-matt-hendricks
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<a href="/author/nick-salen">Nick Salen</a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://ushockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/a-few-minutes-q-and-a.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="136" /></span></p>
<p class="p1"><strong><em>Editor&rsquo;s Note:</em></strong><em>&nbsp;Throughout the 2014-15 NHL season, USA Hockey Magazine will periodically highlight American-born players. In our most recent discussion we talk with Edmonton Oilers forward Matt Hendricks.<span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://ushockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/486123951.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-preview " width="525" height="350" /></span></em></p>
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<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Selected in the fourth round (131</span><sup style="line-height: 1.5em;">st</sup><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">) overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, Matt Hendricks has skated for the Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals and Nashville Predators before joining his current squad, the Edmonton Oilers. A Minnesotan to the core, his style of play has evolved over the years en route to the NHL through inspiration and self-discovery. &nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">When did you start playing hockey in Minnesota?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">I think I started messing around with it around the age of 4. Organized hockey, my first team I was on I was 6 in kindergarten.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">Did you play any other sports besides hockey when you were in grade school/middle school? When and why did you ultimately decide to focus in hockey?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Grade school [and] middle school I played hockey in the winter, baseball in the summer, football and indoor soccer in the fall. Through high school I played baseball and football as well. I was a decent enough athlete in football and baseball as well, but I just really enjoyed practicing hockey. I didn&rsquo;t love football practice, I didn&rsquo;t love baseball practice&hellip; but hockey practice never seemed like practice to me. It seemed like it was always fun no matter what we were doing.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">What is our most vivid memory of playing hockey as a youngster?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">My first state tournament in &rsquo;99 [when] we won consolation. In 2000, my senior year, we won the state tournament. It was definitely one of my best hockey moments still to this day.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">You chose to play at St. Cloud State University. What made you choose the Huskies versus another path to the pros?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">My mom was a third grade teacher and education was important to her. Over time it became important to me as well. I chose the college route because a lot of people ahead of me had done that where I grew up and looked up to that were upperclassmen and such. I wanted to stay in state, so I checked out all the schools in Minnesota. St. Cloud seemed to be the best fit for me, and it was an hour drive from home, so it was close, but not too close.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">You spent time in the WCHA, AHL and ECHL. How did playing at each level help you mold into the player you are today?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">College first taught me how to grow up a bit. High school hockey, they said &lsquo;go get the puck and go score goals.&rsquo; I got to college and that didn&rsquo;t work anymore so I had to learn how to play a fundamental game, learn how to play a system game, different positions. When I got to the ECHL, it was a lot of the same. I looked at myself s the same type of player I was in college: power forward, the guy who can score goals, who can play power play, can play penalty kill. It took me four or five years in the minors to become an NHL player. I wasn&rsquo;t going to be a power forward in the NHL. I was going to have to be more of a grinder, more of an energy guy, a guy who wasn&rsquo;t afraid to stick up for his teammates and go that route, because scoring goals in the minors didn&rsquo;t help me get to the NHL.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span></p>
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<h2 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;">ICE CHIPS<br /></h2>
<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://ushockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/462571972.img_assist_custom-280x420.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-img_assist_custom-280x420 " width="280" height="420" /></span><br /></h5>
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<address style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><strong style="font-style: normal;">&nbsp;</strong>Photo credit&nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Mark Newman/Grand Rapids Griffins</span></address>
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<address><span style="font-style: normal;"><strong>Favorite Music:</strong>&nbsp;Country<br /><strong>Favorite Snack:&nbsp;</strong>Anything salty</span></address>
<address><strong style="font-style: normal;">Favorite Television Show:</strong><span style="font-style: normal;">&nbsp;Vikings</span><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /><strong>Favorite Offseason Activity:&nbsp;</strong>Fishing<br /><strong>Favorite Social Media Platform:&nbsp;</strong>Twitter<br /><strong>If You Weren&rsquo;t Playing Hockey:</strong>&nbsp;I'd be a farmer</span></address>
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<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">Were there one or two NHL players that you looked up to when you were a young kid? Or was there anyone in particular you tried to model your game after?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">I was a big Minnesota North Stars fan growing up. Dino Ciccarelli was one of my favorite players as a kid. As I got older, Joe Sakic was a guy I looked up to. I wore 19 for a lot of years in the minors because of him. I always wanted to be him, but knew deep down I was never going to have the skill set he had.</span><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">How much have small area games been incorporated into your practices at both the collegiate and professional level? What types of skills have you taken away from those situations?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">More so before pro hockey I did a lot of that stuff in college and a little bit more of it in the minors, but the NHL level I haven&rsquo;t really done. It&rsquo;s really more about practicing systems and the fundamentals of team play than it is actual skill development.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">At some point, there is a life after hockey for every professional &ndash; any thoughts as to what you&rsquo;d like to do down the road?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">There&rsquo;s a number of things that pop up in my head, but I try not to think about it. Trying to put that as far back in my mind as possible.</span></p>
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<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">What advice would you give a young 10-year-old kid playing youth hockey who aspires to play Junior, college or even professional hockey?</strong><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p2"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Like I say to my three kids at home. There are three rules: always get up when you fall down, always make sure you&rsquo;re having fun and working hard. Those are three things that I think can help any young kid develop.</span></p>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-matt-hendricks#commentsColorado AvalancheEdmonton OilersMatt HendricksNashville PredatorsNHLSt. Cloud State UniversityWashington CapitalsOnline Bonus ContentWed, 01 Apr 2015 15:47:28 +0000admin11374 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comA Few Minutes With Trevor Lewishttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-trevor-lewis
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<a href="/author/nick-salen">Nick Salen</a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.ushockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/A-few-minutes-q-and-a-slider_Trevor-Lewis.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="499" height="297" /></span></p>
<p><em><strong>Editor&rsquo;s Note:</strong>&nbsp;Throughout the 2014-15 NHL season, USA Hockey Magazine will periodically highlight American-born players. In our most recent discussion we talk with Los Angeles Kings center Trevor Lewis.</em></p>
<p>After being drafted 17th overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Kings, Trevor Lewis has been a staple in the core of LA&rsquo;s roster. Lewis won the USHL&rsquo;s Curt Hammer Award and Dave Tyler Junior Player of the Year in 2006 as a member of the Des Moines Buccaneers before stints in the OHL and AHL. Since then, he has been a consistent skater for LA and clutch in the postseason, where he has hoisted the Stanley Cup twice.</p>
<p><strong>When did you start playing hockey in Utah?</strong><br />I started skating when I was 2 at a rink across the street from me, and I started playing hockey when I was 5.</p>
<p><strong>Did you play other sports in grade school or middle school, and when did you decide to commit to hockey full time?</strong><br />Soccer, baseball and football, I played them all. Growing up in Utah at that time there wasn&rsquo;t much hockey there. To stick with hockey you kind of had to move away. I think it was just before high school when I made the decision to just focus on hockey.</p>
<p><strong>When the Olympic Games were held in Salt Lake City in 2002, did that help inspire you at all in becoming the best you could be in hockey? And what impact do you think that had on hockey and kids in the state.<br /></strong><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">For sure, people got to see a lot of hockey there. [Now] there&rsquo;s a lot more rinks being built, when you go back there is a ton of kids playing. So it&rsquo;s good to see kids playing.</span></p>
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<h2 style="font-size: 11px; margin: 2px 0px 4px; color: #3399ff; line-height: 17.0999984741211px;">ICE CHIPS</h2>
<h5 style="font-size: 10px; margin: 2px 0px 4px; font-weight: normal; color: #999999;"><strong>Favorite Type Of Music: </strong>Country<strong><br />Favorite Movie: </strong>Dumb and Dumber<strong><br />Favorite Snack: </strong>Pop tarts<strong><br />Favorite Offseason Hobby: </strong>Golf<strong><br />Favorite Place To Visit: </strong>Hawaii<strong><br />Celebrity Crush: </strong>Mila Kunis<strong><br />If I Wasn&rsquo;t Playing Hockey I Would Be: </strong>A pro golfer</h5>
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<p><strong>Which one or two players did you idolize or use as role models growing up?<br /></strong>I always like Steve Yzerman growing up. I was a big fan of his and I always tried to play as hard as I could like him.</p>
<p><strong>You spent time playing in the USHL, OHL and AHL.&nbsp; How did playing at each level help mold you into the player that you are today?</strong><br />Des Moines was my first couple years in Juniors, it was a lot of fun. The second year we won it all, so it was a big experience for me. From there I got drafted and headed up to the Owen Sound for a year in the OHL against some great players. Then I started off in Manchester, which was a good learning experience on how to be a pro.</p>
<p><strong>You also represented the U.S. in the 2007 World Junior Championships. How did it feel representing your country in the sport of hockey at such a young age?</strong></p>
<p>It&rsquo;s always fun to represent your country and put on the colors. We had a good tournament, we lost to Canada in the shootout, but we still got the bronze medal out of it.</p>
<p><strong>Game 6 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals, you had two goals to help the team hoist the Cup. What was that like being on a championship team not just then, but also in 2014?</strong><br />We&rsquo;ve had this core group of guys for a while now. There are lifelong memories when you dream about winning the Stanley Cup when you are a kid. Not only to do it once, but twice, it&rsquo;s unreal. You build lifelong friendships here; it&rsquo;s been a lot of fun.</p>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-trevor-lewis#commentsLos Angeles KingsNHLOlympicsTrevor LewisUSHLOnline Bonus ContentThu, 26 Mar 2015 16:13:59 +0000admin11350 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comA Few Minutes With Andy Mielehttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-andy-miele
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<a href="/author/mark-j-burns">Mark J. Burns</a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/a-few-minutes-q-and-a.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="136" /></span><em style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>Editor&rsquo;s Note:</strong> Throughout the 2014-15 NHL season, USA Hockey Magazine will periodically highlight American-born players. In our most recent discussion we talk with Grand Rapids Griffins forward Andy Miele.</em></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/miele6940.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-preview " width="525" height="350" /></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"></span></p>
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<p class="p1"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p1" style="text-align: center;"><em>Photo credit&nbsp;<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Mark Newman/Grand Rapids Griffins</span></em></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">After signing a one-year, two-way contract with his hometown Detroit Red Wings in the offseason, Andy Miele was assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League. A three-year player in the United States Hockey League (2005-2008), Miele tallied 60 goals and 65 assists in 139 games between the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders and the Chicago Steel before heading to Miami (Ohio) University. Miele won the Hobey Baker Award in his senior year before signing with the Phoenix Coyotes.&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">When did you first start playing organized hockey in Michigan? Why did you lean toward hockey versus other sports?</strong></p>
<p class="p2">I started playing organized sports in Michigan when I was 7 years old. My dad got me into hockey, and I&rsquo;m not really sure why I leaned towards that more than the other sports, but I did. I guess hockey chose me.</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2"><strong>Besides hockey, what sports during the offseason did you participate in when you were in grade school/middle school?</strong></p>
<p class="p2">I&rsquo;ve played pretty much all sports besides football growing up. Surprisingly, I really took to basketball even though I&rsquo;m 5-foot-8. A sport I wish I played more of was lacrosse. When I started playing, our coaches ran us more than developed us, so I decided it wasn&rsquo;t worth my time.</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2"><strong>When did you finally realize you wanted to commit to hockey full time?</strong></p>
<p class="p2">I was committed to hockey full time my whole life. I played other sports just for the enjoyment of playing another sport. I knew hockey would always be my career and love.</p>
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<h2 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;">ICE CHIPS<br /></h2>
<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/miele1063.img_assist_custom-280x420.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-img_assist_custom-280x420 " width="280" height="420" /></span><br /></h5>
<h5><strong><br /></strong><br />
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<address style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><strong style="font-style: normal;">&nbsp;</strong>Photo credit&nbsp;</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Mark Newman/Grand Rapids Griffins</span></address>
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<address><span style="font-style: normal;"><strong>Favorite Music:</strong>&nbsp;Top 40&nbsp;<br /><strong>Favorite Movie: </strong>Ninja Turles&nbsp;<br /><strong>Favorite Food:</strong>&nbsp;Pizza</span></address>
<address><strong style="font-style: normal;">Favorite Television Show:</strong><span style="font-style: normal;">&nbsp;New Girl, Seinfeld, Friends</span><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /><strong>Favorite Place To Visit:</strong> Nevis (a small island that is part of the West Indies).<br /><strong>Hockey Role Model Growing Up:</strong> Steve Yzerman<br /><strong>Offseason Hobby:</strong> Relaxing<br /><strong>If You Weren&rsquo;t Playing Hockey:</strong> It&rsquo;s hard for me to say because I&rsquo;ve never pictured my life without hockey.</span></address>
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<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2"><strong>Why did you choose to attend Miami (Ohio) University? Can you describe &lsquo;The Brotherhood&rsquo; mantra that the hockey team lives by?</strong></p>
<p class="p2">Miami just grabbed my attention the most. Between the coaching staff, facilities, education and what they were building there, was just everything I could ask for. The Brotherhood is hard to describe in a couple words, but the best way to put it is the team is a family and every decision you make at the rink and away from the rink is for the team. It builds relationships and bonds we will share forever.</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2"><strong>Why did you pursue the college route versus the major junior route and possibly the Ontario Hockey League?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p2">I actually almost took the major junior route, but the Miami coaching staff convinced me to stick with the college route, and it was the best decision of my life.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2"><strong>How would you describe your style of play at this point in your career?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p2">It&rsquo;s hard to say what type of player I am. I feel I have a couple different aspects to my game. My coaching staff in Portland would always talk about my &lsquo;A&rsquo; and &lsquo;B&rsquo; game. My &lsquo;A&rsquo; game, which is producing offense, scoring goals or making plays. My &lsquo;B&rsquo; game is more of a physical game, mucking it up in the corners and very direct.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2"><strong>Growing up, was there any one or two players you tried to model your game after?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p2">I never tried to mirror any NHL players game but I grew up watching the Detroit Red Wings and loved Sergei Fedorov and Steve Yzerman.</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2"><strong>How much have small area games been incorporated into your practices at both the collegiate and professional level? What types of skills have you taken away from those situations?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p2">A ton, more in college than pro, but it&rsquo;s such an important part of the game; it teaches you to compete and the more you win those battles, the more success you have.</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2"><strong>You&rsquo;re a member of the Advisory Board for &lsquo;You Can Play&rsquo;, a campaign dedicated to eliminating homophobia in sports. Why did you want to become an advocate for &lsquo;You Can Play&rsquo;?</strong></p>
<p class="p2">Brendan Burke was just such a great kid, and anything I could do to help his legacy, I wanted to do.</p>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-andy-miele#commentsAndy MieleDetroit Red WingsGrand RapidsGriffinsNHLUSHLOnline Bonus ContentTue, 17 Mar 2015 20:17:47 +0000admin11327 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comA Few Minutes With R.J. Umbergerhttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-rj-umberger
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<a href="/author/mark-j-burns">Mark J. Burns</a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://ushockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/a-few-minutes-q-and-a.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="136" /></span></p>
<p><em style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>Editor&rsquo;s Note:</strong> Throughout the 2014-15 NHL season, USA Hockey Magazine will periodically highlight American-born players. In our most recent discussion we talk with Philadelphia Flyers forward R.J. Umberger.&nbsp;</em></p>
<p><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://ushockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/465507736.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-preview " width="525" height="350" /></span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;"></span></p>
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<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;A former first round draft pick of the Vancouver Canucks in 2001, R.J. Umberger is currently a forward with the Philadelphia Flyers. The Pittsburgh native spent the first three seasons of his career (2005-08) with the Flyers before lacing up the skates with the Columbus Blue Jackets for six seasons. The three-year standout at The Ohio State University tallied 58 goals and 71 assists in 112 games during his college hockey career.</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>When did you first start playing organized hockey in Pennsylvania? How were you introduced to the sport? &nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">I played my first game when I was seven years old. I was introduced by watching the Pittsburgh Penguins on TV and wanted to try playing the sport.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Was there a youth hockey coach or two who had a big impact on you and helped instill a love of the game?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">Jim Lilja was the coach who had the biggest impact on me as a kid. He coached me for four years of AAA travel hockey for the Pittsburgh Hornets.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Did you play any other sports growing up? If so, how did they help you become the player you are today?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">I played baseball and football also. They helped me develop my eye-hand coordination and speed. By playing other sports I was able to work on all athletic skills.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>When did you finally realize you wanted to commit to hockey full time? What was it about hockey that appealed to you?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">When I was 16 I got invited to play at the U.S. National Development Program in Ann Arbor, Mich.&nbsp; I loved the speed of the game.</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Which one or two players did you look up to in the NHL when you were a young kid? Anyone in particular you tried to model your game after? What was it about their game that you liked so much?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">I idolized Mario Lemieux growing up because he dominated the game and he won 2 Stanley Cups while I was a kid growing up in Pittsburgh. I didn&rsquo;t try to model my game around anyone in particular; I just always tried to be the best player I could be.&nbsp;</span></p>
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<h2 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;">ICE CHIPS<br /></h2>
<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://ushockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/465539940.img_assist_custom-280x420.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-img_assist_custom-280x420 " width="280" height="420" /></span><br /></h5>
<h5><strong><br />Favorite Music:</strong>&nbsp;Country<br /></h5>
<h5><strong>Favorite Movie:&nbsp;</strong><em>Good Will Hunting</em></h5>
<h5><strong>Favorite Book:&nbsp;</strong><em>Angels and Demons</em></h5>
<h5><strong>Favorite Quote:</strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I&rsquo;ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I&rsquo;ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I&rsquo;ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.&rdquo; &ndash; Michael Jordan</span>&nbsp;<br /></h5>
<h5><strong>Favorite TV show:</strong>&nbsp;<em>Sons of Anarchy</em><br /></h5>
<h5><strong>Favorite Place to Visit:</strong>&nbsp;Hilton Head Island and Hawaii&nbsp;</h5>
<h5><strong>iPhone or Android:&nbsp;</strong>iPhone&nbsp;</h5>
<h5><strong>Favorite Form of Social Media:&nbsp;</strong>Twitter</h5>
<h5><strong>Favorite Offseason Hobby:&nbsp;</strong>Golf</h5>
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<p class="p1"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">What made attending The Ohio State University a more attractive option versus the major junior route? What do you remember most from those years playing college hockey?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">As long as I can remember I knew I always wanted to play college hockey and earning a degree was always something I wanted to achieve.&nbsp; I remember all the fun times and friendships I made with my teammates during my three years of college hockey.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>During the most recent NHL lockout, you returned to the OSU campus and helped coach the Buckeyes. What was that experience like, and did viewing the game from that perspective help you in any way as a player? &nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">It was a lot of fun to be a part of the OSU Hockey program in a close way again. I enjoyed seeing the game from a different perspective but learned how hard it is to coach and not be able to physically go out on the ice and make a difference in the game.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>How much have small area games been incorporated into your practices at both the collegiate and professional level? What types of skills have you taken away from those situations? &nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">Small area 2 on 2&rsquo;s and 3 on 3&rsquo;s are pretty common at both levels. They help you develop your puck handling skills and ability to make plays in tight areas.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>What is the coolest perk about playing in the NHL?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">Traveling to all the different cities and eating at nice restaurants.</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>You played for the Blue Jackets for six seasons in Columbus. What was it like playing in a smaller, non-traditional hockey market versus Philadelphia, where you&rsquo;ve been for the other five years of your career? How did you see the team&rsquo;s following change over that time?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">I enjoyed playing in Columbus a lot especially since I am an Ohio State graduate. The fans in Columbus are passionate and very loyal to their team. It was extremely evident in the first round of the playoffs last year vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins. The city was crazy and the arena was one of the loudest I have ever heard. &nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>At some point, there will be a life after hockey for every professional &mdash; any thoughts as to what you&rsquo;d like to do 10-15 years down the road? Coach? Broadcast booth? Business?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Coaching is something I would be interested in doing.&nbsp;</span></p>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-rj-umberger#commentsNational Hockey LeagueNHLOhio StatePhiladelphia FlyersR.J. UmbergerOnline Bonus ContentWed, 11 Mar 2015 20:54:05 +0000admin11285 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comA Few Minutes With Seth Joneshttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-seth-jones
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/author/mark-j-burns">Mark J. Burns</a> </div>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/a-few-minutes-q-and-a.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="136" /></span><em style="line-height: 1.5em;"><strong>Editor&rsquo;s Note:</strong> Throughout the 2014-15 NHL season, USA Hockey Magazine will periodically highlight American-born players through various Q&amp;A segments. In our most recent discussion we talk Nashville Predators defenseman Seth Jones.&nbsp;</em></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/456906756.preview.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-preview " width="525" height="350" /></span></p>
<p class="p1">Long before he slipped on a Nashville Predators jersey, Seth Jones was already making a name for himself in many hockey households around the United States. Some knew the Dallas native as the son of former NBA player Popeye Jones. Others viewed him as the next great American defenseman with the size and athleticism to stand out in the NHL. In only his second year in the NHL, Jones has worked his way to become an integral part of the best team in the NHL heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Besides hockey, what other sports did you play in when you were in grade school/middle school? Why and when did you ultimately decide that hockey was your sport of choice?</strong></p>
<p class="p1">I played lacrosse for about a year when I was about 10 years old, but that&rsquo;s it. Hockey was really the only sport I played growing up. I don&rsquo;t know why I decided to. I lived in Colorado when I was younger and went to a lot of Avalanche games. Then, I moved to Dallas and went to a few Stars games as well. It just kind of stuck with me.</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>What is your most vivid memory of playing hockey as a youngster? Maybe a memorable goal or a tournament you won?</strong></p>
<p class="p1">First year playing Peewee AA we won the national championship. I was playing up with the 1992 birth year, so kids who were two years older than me. Two years after, I went to national championships again in AAA hockey, and we lost in the finals. Those are my youth hockey memories that I remember most.</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>You played for the U.S. National Team Development Program for two seasons (2010-12). How do you think your game developed in those two years before you headed to play Junior hockey out West? As a follow-up, what was it like billeting with a family in Ann Arbor, Mich., and living away from home for those few years?</strong></p>
<p class="p1">The U.S. program was great because I was able to play against older kids. You&rsquo;re 15, 16, going in, and you&rsquo;re playing against 18, 19, 20 year olds. It&rsquo;s good both physically and mentally. Portland in the WHL &mdash; Juniors was the same thing there. The league is probably a little better in certain areas, but it was more the same there. The families I billeted with in Michigan and Portland were both really good to me.&nbsp;</p>
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<h2 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;">ICE CHIPS<br /></h2>
<h5 style="line-height: 17.0999984741211px; font-size: 11px;"><span class="inline inline-right"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/463275222.img_assist_custom-280x352.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-img_assist_custom-280x352 " width="280" height="352" /></span><br /></h5>
<h5><strong><br />Favorite Music:</strong>&nbsp;Country/Hip Hop&nbsp;</h5>
<h5><strong>Favorite TV Show: </strong>Homeland&nbsp;</h5>
<h5><strong>Favorite Snack:</strong>&nbsp;Trail Mix&nbsp;</h5>
<h5><strong>Offseason Hobby:&nbsp;</strong>Golf</h5>
<h5><strong>Celebrity Crush:&nbsp;</strong>Selena Gomez</h5>
<h5><strong>Favorite Mode of Social Media: </strong>Instagram</h5>
<h5><strong>iPhone or Android:&nbsp;</strong>iPhone&nbsp;</h5>
<h5><strong>If I Wasn't Playing Hockey:</strong>&nbsp;I'd be playing basketball</h5>
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<p class="p1"><strong>Why did you eventually decide to head the Major Junior route and play for the Portland Winterhawks versus college?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">It was a personal decision. It&rsquo;s not the right decision for everyone. College is the right decision for a lot of people and Major Junior is the right decision for others. It was a personal decision that I thought would be the best for my career. It&rsquo;s a decision I didn&rsquo;t make on my own. My family a big part in that decision, along with my advisor/agent. It wasn&rsquo;t an overnight decision; it took me about nine months to make it.</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>Was there an NHL player or two that you looked up to when you were a young kid? Was there anyone in particular that you tried to model your game after?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">Every defenseman now says Nickolas Lidstrom. He&rsquo;s kid of the perfect defenseman that everyone tried to play like. I liked watching the whole league. I loved the watching the Red Wings and Pavel Datsyuk, and obviously Lidstrom was on the team as well. I liked the way they played growing up.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>How much have small area games been incorporated into your practices at both the Junior and professional level? What types of skills have you taken away from those situations?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">Coaches like to pay 3-on-3 and cross-ice hockey. Sometime we&rsquo;ll play 3-on-2 or 2-on-2 down low in the zone. It helps bring some skill up and chemistry up between the guys. There&rsquo;s a little bit of competitiveness as well. Every team at every level that I&rsquo;ve played on has put in some small area games in at the end of most practices because coaches want to see guys compete.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2"><strong></strong></p>
<p class="p1"><strong>What is it like playing in a non-traditional hockey market such as Nashville?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">It&rsquo;s been great. The fan base is really great here. The turnout of the game has been fantastic, and the fans are loud. You see Predators jerseys on the street. It starts with youth hockey. I&rsquo;m doing what I can, and I know a lot of the guys in the room are doing a lot to promote the game and get more kids to play.</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>You currently live at home with your mom, an agreement you and your family had long before you were drafted. How has the adjustment been from Juniors to the NHL, knowing you have the comfort and stability of the home life in Tennessee?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="p1">It&rsquo;s been a big help. I lived with her last year, and I&rsquo;m living with her this year as well. Juniors to the NHL is a big jump; it&rsquo;s a different lifestyle. Last year was a learning experience for me. This year, I feel more confident on the ice.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><strong>What advice can you give a young 10-year-old kid playing youth hockey who aspires to play Junior, college or even professional hockey?&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">Work hard. You&rsquo;re probably going to hear that from a lot of people. Coaches want to see your work ethic; it&rsquo;s not always about skill or who can score the most goals on the team. It&rsquo;s just how hard you work, how hard you compete and how bad you want to win.</p>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-seth-jones#commentsNashville PredatorsNational Team Development ProgramNHLSeth JonesOnline Bonus ContentTue, 03 Mar 2015 18:10:13 +0000admin11225 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comThe MoneyPuck Erahttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2014-12/moneypuck-era
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Analytics May Be The Most Talked About Aspect Of The Game That Nobody Wants To Talk About </div>
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/author/mark-j-burns">Mark J. Burns</a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/07_moneypuck." alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="385" /></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">It may be the worst kept secret in hockey: National Hockey League teams are using advanced statistics and technology to improve their players&rsquo; performance, both on and off the ice.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">The Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks, who were some of the first users of advanced statistics, have won four of the past five Stanley Cups.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">It&rsquo;s no surprise then that the other 28 teams are connecting the dots and jumping on board as well. Yet, even with more teams turning to analytics, franchises are still reluctant to speak publicly about the subject, with the Kings, Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres declining to comment for this story about their icy trade secrets.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">In NHL circles, the world &ldquo;analytics&rdquo; is the biggest buzzword and hot button topic since the advent of the modern stats movement in 1997. At that time, the league stationed stats trackers in each city in order to record blocked shots, hits, shot attempts and a few other telling stats.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">With a number of NHL teams devoting their recruiting efforts to building a robust analytical team this past summer &mdash; including the Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers and Florida Panthers &mdash; one thing is certain: the modern &ldquo;Moneypuck Era&rdquo; has arrived.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">&ldquo;Analytics is where we&rsquo;re going. I&rsquo;m very interested. I think it&rsquo;s very intriguing,&rdquo; Ron Hextall, the Flyers&rsquo; former goalie turned general manager, told </span><span class="s2"><strong>Philly.com.</strong></span><span class="s1"> &ldquo;You can&rsquo;t overvalue it, but in my mind, it&rsquo;s going to become more and more valuable. I wouldn&rsquo;t say it&rsquo;s a huge part, but it&rsquo;s going to get bigger and bigger.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">NHL coaches and front office personnel are still grappling with what to do with this potential treasure trove of new information, which examines puck possession, zone starts and other complex data. Coaching staffs and management teams are applying advanced stats for in-game adjustments, trade deadline acquisitions and on draft day, with the end goal of assembling a future Stanley Cup-winning franchise.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">&ldquo;It&rsquo;s really exploded the last nine to 12 months,&rdquo; says Michael Schuckers, an associate professor of statistics at St. Lawrence University.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;"><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.org/sites/default/files/images/08_moneypuck.img_assist_custom-275x183." alt="Los Angeles Kings Goaltending Coach Bill Ranford and the rest of the coaching staff have used analytics to help develop a winning formula to help the Kings win two of the last three Stanley Cups." title="Los Angeles Kings Goaltending Coach Bill Ranford and the rest of the coaching staff have used analytics to help develop a winning formula to help the Kings win two of the last three Stanley Cups." class="image image-img_assist_custom-275x183 " width="275" height="183" /><span class="caption" style="width: 273px;">Los Angeles Kings Goaltending Coach Bill Ranford and the rest of the coaching staff have used analytics to help develop a winning formula to help the Kings win two of the last three Stanley Cups.</span></span></strong></p>
<p><span class="s1"><strong></strong>According to Schuckers, having a complete picture with different pieces of information provides teams a potential competitive advantage versus those who maybe aren&rsquo;t receptive to the modern stats movement.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Some self-proclaimed &ldquo;old school&rdquo; coaches, like the Sioux Falls Stampede&rsquo;s Cary Eades of the Tier I United States Hockey League, are taking a more patient approach to how to incorporate analytics into their tried-and-true ways of evaluating talent.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s an area of the game, as far as measurable and statistical analysis of a hockey player, that has a ways to go yet to be fully functional in my mind,&rdquo; Eades says. &ldquo;&hellip;There&rsquo;s just so many individual personal traits that a coach likes in a player and/or you&rsquo;re looking for in a player to fill a certain role.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Despite not having a system in place to incorporate advanced statistics into their repertoire at the present time, Eades expects the Stampede to continue the conversation internally, too.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Danton Cole, head coach of the U.S. Under-17 Team, says that because the National Team Development Program only has its players for just two years, it&rsquo;s harder to implement any widespread practices. Still, he thinks there is certainly a heightened interest at the NHL level rather than in the Junior ranks.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">&ldquo;Coaching is both an art and a science,&rdquo; says Cole, who added that some nights a coach might rely on his gut instincts, team chemistry or going with a hot player versus relying on stats alone.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">While analytics are better known for their use by coaching staffs, general managers and stats gurus, there&rsquo;s another school of thought that thinks that analytics can help in the prevention of injuries.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">One company that is leading the charge is Catapult Sports, who uses GPS tracking devices to monitor things such as a player&rsquo;s on-ice fatigue level, heart rate and stride length.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">Ben Peterson, sports performance manager with Catapult, compares its technology to a dashboard on a car that tracks a player&rsquo;s performance so that he is operating at optimum levels and not over-exerting himself on the ice.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">&ldquo;If you just go, go, go and you&rsquo;re not mindful of changing the oil or if you&rsquo;re riding the car really rough, it&rsquo;s more likely to break down on you,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;You see that a lot in hockey players. It&rsquo;s not having a good pulse and understanding the loads players are accumulating while they are playing hockey.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">As Peterson explains, the data isn&rsquo;t meant to tell a coach he&rsquo;s wrong or his gut is giving him poor information. It&rsquo;s meant as an &ldquo;extra tool in his toolbox&rdquo; as he continues his job as a coach.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">&ldquo;Always listen to your gut but make sure your gut is agreeing with the information,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;If the data is telling you something else, now you can make a better-informed decision off of what you know.&rdquo;</span></p>
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<a href="/issue/2014-12">2014-12</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2014-12/moneypuck-era#commentsAnalyticsChicago BlackhawkscoachingLA KingsNHLtechnologyFeatureTue, 25 Nov 2014 16:19:47 +0000admin10717 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comGreat Expectationshttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2014-12/great-expectations
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Before He Becomes A Top NHL Draft Pick, Jack Eichel Is Looking To Lift BU Back To Prominence And Lead The U.S. To World Junior Gold </div>
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/node/37">Jess Myers</a> </div>
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<p class="p1"><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://ftp.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/04_cover_feat." alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="316" /></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Two years ago,&nbsp;</span><span class="s2">when David Quinn was offered the head coaching position at his alma mater, he didn&rsquo;t need a lot of extra incentive to take the job. A native New Englander with NHL coaching experience, Quinn had longed for the opportunity to follow legendary coach Jack Parker at the helm of Boston University&rsquo;s renowned hockey program.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s3">Still, there was a little bit of an additional signing bonus waiting for Quinn to grab the corner office inside Agganis Arena &mdash; a commodity that no other Junior, college or pro coaching job in the world could boast.</span></p>
<p class="p2">Two years earlier, when he was just 15, with stints for the Boston Junior Bruins and the National Team Development Program on his growing hockey resume, a promising forward named Jack Eichel made a commitment to Parker that one day he would wear the red and white sweater of the Terriers. And despite lots of needless noise that Parker&rsquo;s retirement might mean a change of heart for Eichel, there he was in October 2014, wearing that celebrated uniform with &ldquo;BOSTON&rdquo; on the front, just above a white number nine.</p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">If folks were expecting Eichel to quietly transition to the college game, timidly dip his toe into the waters and learn from his elders as he sought a regular spot in the BU lineup, it took just three games to shatter that notion. Before the first piece of Halloween candy had been handed out, and before Eichel had even turned 18, he had helped the Terriers to a 3-0-0 record from his post as the team&rsquo;s top line center and was averaging two points per game.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">&ldquo;It&rsquo;s been awesome,&rdquo; Eichel said, a day after celebrating his official start of adulthood via a post-practice dinner with family. &ldquo;For years, I kind of imagined what it would be like to play at Agganis, and it was all of that and more.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s3">In just a few years, Eichel has experienced a meteoric rise from being considered a good player, but not good enough to get much notice from recruiters, to being a sought-after future collegian, to being considered a high-end potential NHL draft pick to becoming the guy nobody expects to be available when the third pick is made at next summer&rsquo;s NHL Entry Draft in Sunrise, Fla.<br /></span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s3"><strong><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://ftp.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/05_cover_feat." alt="Since hitting the ice as a member of the Boston University Terriers, freshman Jack Eichel has lived up to the hype by lifting the powerhouse program back to the top of the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine College Poll." title="Since hitting the ice as a member of the Boston University Terriers, freshman Jack Eichel has lived up to the hype by lifting the powerhouse program back to the top of the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine College Poll." class="image image-_original " width="525" height="346" /><span class="caption" style="width: 523px;">Since hitting the ice as a member of the Boston University Terriers, freshman Jack Eichel has lived up to the hype by lifting the powerhouse program back to the top of the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine College Poll.</span></span></strong><br /></span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">It&rsquo;s also produced a hockey odd couple of sorts. Eichel and Canadian star forward Connor McDavid are the consensus top two names that most in the know expect to be called in June at the home rink of the Florida Panthers.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">So, it would be expected that while getting used to campus life and the college game, Eichel is also keeping an eye on the bottom of the NHL standings, to get an idea of what currently-struggling team &mdash; Winnipeg, Buffalo, Toronto, Edmonton, Florida, Carolina or Arizona &mdash; might be his first post-college employer.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s3">Eichel admits that he&rsquo;s an NHL junkie, browsing <strong>NHL.com</strong> at all hours, and watching <em>NHL on the Fly</em> whenever he can, but the draft and a life in the NHL someday are all still far off. He&rsquo;s doing his best, despite the sudden stardom and all the media attention that comes with it, to keep his gaze on the near future and his immediate goals.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">&ldquo;I try to just focus on what&rsquo;s going on on the ice,&rdquo; Eichel said. &ldquo;The NHL is something I&rsquo;ve dreamed about, but the first priority is to make this an exciting year for my family and I, having fun and helping BU win hockey games.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">Eichel does that with kind of a perfect storm of hockey sense and high-level skill. Ask three different coaches who have worked with him on-ice, and you get three different answers about what makes him such an impact player.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">&ldquo;He makes coaches smarter,&rdquo; joked Don Lucia, the long-time University of Minnesota coach who worked with Eichel at last year&rsquo;s World Junior Championship in Malmo, Sweden.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">Nearly a decade ago, Lucia was in Quinn&rsquo;s shoes with a budding American hockey star &mdash; Phil Kessel &mdash; on his Gophers&rsquo; roster. He admits there are some parallels and enjoyable challenges to be had with a player of Eichel&rsquo;s caliber on a collegiate roster, even if it&rsquo;s only for a year or two.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">&ldquo;There&rsquo;s a different approach because you know you&rsquo;re not going to have them that long,&rdquo; Lucia said. &ldquo;Where it comes into play is in what kind of kid they are, and where their mindset is during the year. This is his draft year, so is his mindset on the draft, or is his mindset on BU?&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">&ldquo;Being around him last year, and seeing the type of kid he is, I have no doubt that his mindset is on BU, and being a key cog on the World Juniors level again. Not only is he a unique player, he&rsquo;s a really quality kid, too.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">While some draw the comparisons to Kessel and his ability to bring offense on seemingly every shift, others go further back when looking for an American star with such promise, claiming that Mike Modano is the last talent of Eichel&rsquo;s caliber to come from the USA.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2">&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="s2"><strong><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://ftp.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/06_cover_feat." alt="Jack Eichel stood out among the top American players who competed at the 2014 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game in Buffalo, N.Y." title="Jack Eichel stood out among the top American players who competed at the 2014 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game in Buffalo, N.Y." class="image image-_original " width="260" height="354" /><span class="caption" style="width: 258px;">Jack Eichel stood out among the top American players who competed at the 2014 CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game in Buffalo, N.Y.</span></span></strong></span></p>
<p><span class="s2">Quinn marvels at what a complete package of offensive sense and tools Eichel brings to the ice, and long before the freshman ever faced a real opponent, knew where he would fit in on the Terriers&rsquo; depth chart.</span></p>
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<p class="p2"><span class="s3">&ldquo;We knew without question that he would be our first line center,&rdquo; Quinn said. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t have to be a hockey genius to figure that one out. He&rsquo;d be anyone&rsquo;s top-line center.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">And the pressure that comes with centering an up-and-coming college team&rsquo;s top line is just one more challenge, alongside the workload of being a college freshman and the off-ice attention that seems to be mounting by the day.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">Former BU star Mike Grier knows all about those challenges, after a Hobey Baker candidate run with the Terriers and helping them to the 1995 NCAA title. After coaching Eichel at the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game, where he was given an up-close view of the person and&nbsp; player, Grier came away in awe.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">&ldquo;He&rsquo;s an impressive individual. Not many 17-year-olds could handle what&rsquo;s been thrown on his plate,&rdquo; Grier said after Eichel was named the game&rsquo;s most valuable player.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">&ldquo;He&rsquo;s been getting media requests for two years, and they&rsquo;ve been talking about who&rsquo;s going to go No. 1 in the draft. That&rsquo;s a lot of pressure. Social media and all that stuff, it can&rsquo;t be easy for a 17-year-old. It would be easy for him to be cocky and full of himself, but he&rsquo;s not. He&rsquo;s a humble kid. It says a lot about his parents and his upbringing, and I think it bodes well for his future.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">Eichel grew up outside of Boston in North Chelmsford, Mass., near the historic textile mills of Lowell, and not too far south of the New Hampshire state line. In the heart of Hockey East country, where passion for college hockey runs deep, Eichel has admitted he may have been more of a Boston College fan as a kid but chose to wear the Terriers sweater instead. Like any hockey-crazy New England kid, Eichel considers TD Garden &mdash; home of the Bruins &mdash;&nbsp; a special place and knows full well that the 2015 NCAA Frozen Four will be played there. But again, that&rsquo;s in the distant future.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">A few weeks before the Frozen Four, the Hockey East championships will be held there. And a few weeks before that, Eichel will get to lead BU in the quest for regional pride, when the legendary Beanpot Tournament is held at the Garden.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">But before all of that happens, there&rsquo;s another chance to wear the red, white and blue, which has Eichel dreaming of winning gold, again.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">Last winter, he was the youngest member of Lucia&rsquo;s Team USA squad that finished fifth in Sweden. He got another crack at a medal in April and captured gold at the IIHF World U18 Championships, with the Americans beating the Czech Republic in the final. The 2015 World Juniors mean another chance to represent his country, this time in McDavid&rsquo;s backyard, with Toronto and Montreal co-hosting the games.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2">&ldquo;It was a huge honor to play in the World Juniors and a great experience,&rdquo; said Eichel, who registered five points as a 17-year-old in last year&rsquo;s tournament. &ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t do as much as we wanted, but we all learned a lot from the coaches. And any time you get to play for your country, it&rsquo;s an amazing thing.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s3">The hope of returning BU hockey to national prominence in April, and the promise of fame and fortune in the NHL come June, are still far-off dreams for the next rising American hockey star. He&rsquo;s got class, then practice, then another opponent to prepare for.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s3">There&rsquo;s the potential for a stunning sunrise down the road, and a surely bright future for Jack Eichel wherever he ends up playing for a paycheck. But for now, he&rsquo;s firmly gripping the steering wheel, with his eyes locked on the road ahead.</span></p>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2014-12/great-expectations#commentsJack EichelNHLWorld Junior ChampionshipFeatureMon, 24 Nov 2014 17:05:42 +0000admin10712 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comA Few Minutes With Zach Redmond http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-zach-redmond
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/author/mark-j-burns">Mark J. Burns</a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/a-few-minutes-q-and-a.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="136" /></span></p>
<p><em style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 17px;"><strong>Editor's Note:</strong>&nbsp;Throughout the 2014-15 NHL season, USA Hockey Magazine will periodically highlight American-born players through various Q&amp;A segments.</em></p>
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<p>Zach Redmond is currently a defenseman with the Colorado Avalanche. The former Ferris State University standout (2007-11) tallied 22 goals and 68 assists over 141 games. During his senior year, Redmond was named to the All-CCHA First Team. Over the past three-plus seasons, the Houston native has spent time between the American Hockey League and the NHL. In 23 games with the Avalanche and the Winnipeg Jets, he's registered three goals and 10 assists in addition to a +4 rating. </p>
<p><strong>1) You were born in Houston, not really a hockey hotbed but a growing presence there nonetheless. So, how did you come to know the sport of hockey and what motivated you to start playing this particular sport?</strong></p>
<p>I was born in Houston but moved to Michigan when I was 3, so being around the sport more in Michigan and having a dad who played a bit growing up is what got me started at a very young age. I started playing when I was 4 or 5 and getting motivated to play the sport wasn't very difficult because I loved the game so much.</p>
<p><strong>2) Besides hockey, what sports during the offseason did you participate in when you were in grade school/middle school?</strong></p>
<p>Growing up, I played just about every sport I could. I gave football and basketball a try but didn't end up sticking with either for more than a year or two. Outside of hockey I played baseball and golf growing up until I had to move away from home to play hockey, which forced me to give up baseball.</p>
<p><strong>3) What is your most vivid memory as a youngster playing hockey? Maybe a memorable goal? A tournament you won?</strong></p>
<p>My most vivid memory as a kid with the sport of hockey was probably playing everyday after school at my friends backyard rink. We would play as much as we could and well into the night a lot of times. </p>
<p><strong>4) When did you finally realize you wanted to commit to hockey full time?</strong></p>
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<h5><strong><br />Favorite music:</strong> Country<br /></h5>
<h5><strong>Favorite food: </strong>Any breakfast food<br /></h5>
<h5><strong>Favorite quote:</strong> &ldquo;Our greatest weakness lies in giving up.&rdquo; &mdash; Thomas Edison <br /></h5>
<h5><strong>Favorite TV show:</strong> Game of Thrones<br /></h5>
<h5><strong>Favorite place to visit:</strong> Anywhere on the ocean <br /></h5>
<h5><strong>Offseason hobby: </strong>Golf <br /></h5>
<h5><strong>If I wasn't playing hockey I'd be a:</strong> Firefighter</h5>
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<p>I realized I wanted to play hockey full time when I was cut from a select team my Bantam year. Not making the team was a tough feeling, and it motivated me to put in the work and commit myself to the game. &nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>5) You played with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League for two years before heading to Ferris State University. What made you choose this particular career route versus maybe the alternative and heading the major junior route with a team in the Canadian Hockey League?</strong></p>
<p>Choosing between going to college and playing major junior was a very tough decision for me. I grew up loving to watch the Plymouth Whalers and eventually ended up getting drafted by them. It came down to decision time and ultimately getting to develop longer in Sioux Falls and then at Ferris State as well as getting my education won me over.</p>
<p><strong>6) Which one or two players did you look up to in the NHL when you were a young kid? Anyone in particular you tried to model your game after? Why them?</strong></p>
<p>Growing up I loved watching defensemen Jean Michael-Liles and Brian Leetch. I liked how they jumped up into the rush and made things happen offensively.</p>
<p><strong>7) How much have small area games been incorporated into your practices at both the collegiate and professional level? What types of skills have you taken away from those situations?</strong></p>
<p>Small area games have been part of practice and games my entire career. It helps with understanding how to make things happen in tight spaces and how to create room for yourself as well as how to use your body and shield the puck.<br /><strong><br />8) What does a typical training day look like for you as you gear up for the 2014-15 season?</strong></p>
<p>A typical training day for me in the summer is either a weight training session or a cardio/plyometric session depending on the day. I usually get the workout done in the morning and try and get on the ice or shoot pucks in the afternoon. It varies depending on the time of summer. Usually the training is increased as the season gets closer.</p>
<p><strong>9) What advice can you give a young 10-year-old kid playing youth hockey who aspires to play junior, college or even professional hockey?</strong></p>
<p>I would tell a young kid that's trying to play junior, college or pro, just to have fun and work hard every day. If it's a passion, neither of those things will seem difficult.</p>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/few-minutes-zach-redmond#commentsAll-CCHA First TeamAmerican Hockey LeagueColorado AvalancheFerris State UniversityNHLZach RedmondOnline Bonus ContentFri, 14 Nov 2014 17:21:22 +0000admin10650 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comFrom The Blue Line To The Boardroom: Mathieu Schneider enjoying role with NHLPAhttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2014-10/blue-line-boardroom-mathieu-schneider-enjoying-role-nhlpa
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NHL Veteran Defenseman Mathieu Schneider Finds New Challenges In His Role With The NHLPA </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://ftp.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Mathieu_01.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="392" /></span></p>
<p><span class="inline inline-right"><img src="http://ftp.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/NHL-Preview.img_assist_custom-150x150.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-img_assist_custom-150x150 " width="150" height="150" /></span>As an NHL defenseman, Mathieu Schneider was known as an offensive force who displayed a combination of skill and smarts on the ice. Those same attributes are still serving him well now that he&rsquo;s traded in his skates for a pair of wing tips.</p>
<p>After calling the 2009-10 season the final campaign of a 20-year career that saw him play for 10 different franchises, the New York City native found a stable home with the NHL Players&rsquo; Association as the special assistant to the executive director, a newly created position in 2011.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I never really envisioned myself moving to Toronto and working full time in the office. That kind of happened after I made my decision to retire,&rdquo; says Schneider, who still resides with his family at his Manhattan Beach, Calif., home in the summer months but works out of the NHLPA&rsquo;s Toronto offices during the season.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Stepping into the role at the Players&rsquo; Association gave me some certainty. I think that&rsquo;s one of the things that guys have so much trouble with when they retire &mdash; finding something that&rsquo;s meaningful in their lives outside of the game.</p>
<p>&ldquo;For me, I feel very fortunate that I was able to find something that I love to do so quickly.&rdquo;<br />Despite a wealth of knowledge accumulated over the span of his career, Schneider never heard the call of coaching, saying that in order to be an NHL coach, one has to exude a little bit of an &ldquo;edge.&rdquo;</p>
<p>While the 45-year-old Schneider still has not ruled out being involved with player development &mdash; especially working with younger 15-17-year-old defenseman &mdash; he&rsquo;s enjoying his role with the NHLPA and sees himself remaining with the organization for the &ldquo;foreseeable future.&rdquo;</p>
<p>When Donald Fehr, who has been the NHLPA&rsquo;s executive director since 2010, went looking for someone to fill the role of a special assistant, he said the ideal person was an ex-player who was respected by a &ldquo;very wide swath of players&rdquo; and had previous experience with union affairs.</p>
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<td><strong><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://ftp.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Mathieu_02.img_assist_custom-216x270.jpg" alt="Five years after hanging up his competitive skates, Mathieu Schneider remains close to the game in his role as the assistant to the NHLPA&amp;rsquo;s executive director." title="Five years after hanging up his competitive skates, Mathieu Schneider remains close to the game in his role as the assistant to the NHLPA&amp;rsquo;s executive director." class="image image-img_assist_custom-216x270 " width="216" height="270" /><span class="caption" style="width: 214px;">Five years after hanging up his competitive skates, Mathieu Schneider remains close to the game in his role as the assistant to the NHLPA&rsquo;s executive director.</span></span></strong></td>
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<p>Schneider was that guy. Over the course of his career, he spent time as a player representative on the executive board along with the vice president of the Interim Executive Committee (2006-07) and a member of the Executive Director Search Committee (2009-10).</p>
<p>&ldquo;The essence of what the union does is communicate with players and then act on their behalf,&rdquo; Fehr says. &ldquo;You have to be able to speak their language, and you have to be able to understand what they tell you. You have to have some familiarity with what they&rsquo;re going through day by day as well as the large topics, major economic questions and so on.&rdquo;</p>
<p>As Fehr spearheaded the NHLPA&rsquo;s reorganization starting in late 2010, he got to know Schneider better and became more familiar with his business acumen. In short, the same skills that caught the eye of NHL general managers over the course of his playing career were exactly what Fehr was looking for.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I got to know him quite well during that process, and I got to see him interact with former players,&rdquo; says Fehr, who made his mark as the head of the powerful Major League Baseball Players' Association from 1985-2009.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I got a glimpse of how his mind works. I got a real sense of his level of preparation and his dedication, integrity, sort of soup to nuts.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Schneider&rsquo;s first notable project with the Players&rsquo; Association was to team up with Brendan Shanahan, the NHL&rsquo;s former director of player safety, to rid the game of dangerous hits.</p>
<p>Whether it is salary arbitration, reviewing hockey revenues, preparing for collective bargaining or discussing equipment and rules issues, Schneider has his hand in every aspect of business affairs dealing with the league&rsquo;s 600-plus players. He also works directly with players to &ldquo;educate them to make the best decision possible for themselves.&rdquo;</p>
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<h2 class="textlinkblack" style="text-align: center;">&ldquo;Essentially, I would say my role is to give Don a solid perspective of a player&rsquo;s point of view on any issue.&rdquo;&shy; <br /></h2>
<h5 style="text-align: center;"><strong>&mdash; Mathieu Schneider on his role with the NHL Players' Association</strong></h5>
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<p>&ldquo;Essentially, I would say my role is to give Don a solid perspective of a player&rsquo;s point of view on any issue,&rdquo; says Schneider, who played 1,200-plus NHL games, in addition to wearing the red, white and blue in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and two Olympics (1998 and 2002).</p>
<p>&ldquo;We do an awful lot of things. We have a small shop. I&rsquo;m pretty much looped into everything that happens in the office now, and my job is to be able to relay that to the players and conversely, give Don a good idea of what the players are willing to do and what the players want from us.&rdquo;</p>
<p>To accomplish that, Schneider serves on a handful of committees, including the NHL/NHLPA Competition Committee, which he served on during his playing days and now as an executive.</p>
<p>With August and September being quieter months for Schneider, he has spent more time with his wife and four kids, but when the seasons kicks off in early October, he will commute between the NHLPA offices in Toronto and the league offices in New York City for meetings and other obligations.</p>
<p>While there won&rsquo;t be anything consistent about his schedule once the regular season begins, Schneider remains a reliable voice for the players and a trusted confidant for Fehr.</p>
<p>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s no meeting that he can&rsquo;t go to,&rdquo; Fehr says. &ldquo;There are a whole lot of meetings that I insist that he goes to. He&rsquo;s virtually involved in all aspects of our operations.&rdquo;</p>
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<h6><em>Photos By Getty Images</em><br /></h6>
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Issue:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/issue/2014-10">2014-10</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2014-10/blue-line-boardroom-mathieu-schneider-enjoying-role-nhlpa#commentsMathieu SchneiderNHLNHLPAFeatureTue, 07 Oct 2014 20:45:07 +0000admin10478 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.com